Northeast Side man slain; found by friends

By David G. Palacio, Staff Writer

Updated 7:39 pm, Saturday, June 29, 2013

A wreath, a photo and a black bow remain attached to a phone pole at Artemis and Fonville drives on the Northeast Side — placed there by a young man close to Gilbert Barrera, 67, who was found dead in his home late Monday afternoon.

Details are scarce in the investigation of Barrera's death, but a police report states there are three suspects believed to have played a role in his killing.

A witness told officers they'd seen a man in a black shirt, blue jeans and a straw hat and a heavyset woman with blonde hair and a white T-shirt and blue-jean shorts enter Barrera's house, and then were driven away by a man in a grey T-shirt, according the report released this week says.

Most Popular

“There was a violent encounter when they got in there,” police Sgt. Javier Salazar said. “Something in that encounter caused his death.”

Micaela Flores, 54, who had been renting a room from Barrera for about six months, said her landlord was found dead in his living room by a neighborhood teenager who they called Oscar, and who affectionately called Barrera “dad.”

The police report says the teenager and Barrera had planned to go to dinner together. When the teen arrived, he found Barrera already dead.

He called 911 for help while neighbors attempted to administer chest compressions to revive Barrera before help arrived.

Barrera was declared dead a little more than two hours after making dinner plans.

Although he lived alone, Barrera rented his home to tenants and lived in an area apart from the main property. Flores lived there with her boyfriend and son and said she interacted with Barrera on a daily basis.

Flores said he was well-liked in the neighborhood and had done roof work for many houses in the area.

Barrera, a retiree, also had taken Oscar under his wing; the teenager often would assist him in doing roof work or painting. Barrera often referred to the teeanger as his son and the young man returned the affection and calling Barrera his dad, Flores said.

In the middle of the wreath that the teenager created for Barrera the single word “Dad” is written in cursive letters on an orange bow.

“Anything he needed he was there for him,” said Flores about the young man's interactions with Barrera. “He's hurting.”